Sigulda Zoo Works to Settle Two Amur Tigers from Lithuania

New residents from Lithuania

In August, Sigulda Zoo welcomed two brother Amur tigers, Doniņš and Snaipers, transferred from Lithuania. Before arriving in Latvia, the animals had been removed from unsuitable conditions at a private zoo in Klaipėda and spent time at a rescue center for confiscated animals.

A difficult start

The tigers' early life was far from typical for wild animals: as cubs they were taken from their mother, bottle-fed, and habituated to humans, including being handled and photographed. When they first arrived in Sigulda, both cats growled at people, were afraid to enter indoor spaces, and refused to eat.

Patient adjustment

Sigulda Zoo co-owner and animal keeper Daniels Kalvišs spent several hours in the tigers' first days simply sitting silently on the floor near them, avoiding even looking at them, so the animals would learn he meant no harm. The tigers stayed inside their specially built enclosure "rooms," while Kalvišs remained in the corridor on the other side of the bars. The tigers growled at first but eventually calmed down.

Today, Doniņš and Snaipers, each weighing around 200 kilograms, have largely grown accustomed to their new home in Sigulda, while their keepers continue learning the best way to live alongside the two large predators.